From the Ford Forum - on Break-Away Cables...

[Crumgater]

This was new to me... but it makes sense - don't leave the beak-away switch unplugged. Things can over-heat and get ugly, fast.
-T

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1461578-dont-leave-the-break-away-switch-unplugged.html

 

[Bones]

well that sucks

 

[justafordguy]

Same thing happened to my brother in-law on their new forest river.

 

[JohnD]

First time we took our Prowler out when we first got it . . . I forgot to unhook the breakaway when I unhitched.

DOH!

I did push the button back in right away, but when we were ready to pull out I was getting an error message on the dash.

I screwed around with it for a few minutes and finally got it to reset.

We lucked out and didn't get any damage.

I also got one of these so that I can see it much better when unhitching (note the red curly thingy hanging on the side of the king pin):



It was $10 at Camping World . . .